Hold down apparatus for material handling carriages



Nov. 5, 1968 LE GRAND H.- LULL HOLD DOWN APPARATUS FOR MATERIAL HANDLINGCARRIAGES 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed March 9, 1965 INVENTOR. LEGRA/VD CH LULLATTORNEY Nov. 5, 1968 LE GRAND H. LULL. 3,4

HOLD DOWN APPARATUS FOR MATERIAL HANDLING CARRIAGES Filed March 9, 19652 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. LEGRA/VD H LULL United States Patent3,409,157 HOLD DOWN APPARATUS FOR MATERIAL HANDLING CARRIAGES Le GrandH. Lull, 5501 Woodlawn Blvd., Minneapolis, Minn. 55417 FiledMar. 9,1965, Ser. No. 438,427 10 Claims. (Cl. 214-654) ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A forklift load handling carriage provided with flexiblecable or chain hold down means which can be tightened down overirregularly sized and shaped loads such as logs or poles or the like tohold them securely in place.

This invention relates to improved apparatus for material handling; inparticular, it concerns improved apparatus of this type includingflexible elongated tension member means for engaging and holding loadsupon a carriage.

The general object of the invention is to improve material handlingcarriage of the type used for handling and sorting logs, pole and otherarticles. Other objects of the invention are: to provide an improvedhold down apparatus for material handling carriages whereby to enhancethe versatility of the carriage and permit it to handle loadsefficiently without regard to their size or shape; to provide apparatusof this type including elongated flexible tension member and associatedpower means adapted to securely hold a load; to provide in apparatus ofthis type improved means for mounting said tension member means upon aload handling carriage for coaction with the lift arms and hold downclamps forming part of the carriage; to provide in apparatus of thistype improved means for guiding and supporting said tension member formovement towards and away from the lift arms of the carriage whereby tohold or release a load; and in general to provide an improved hold downapparatus for material handling carriages which is highly versatile anddependable in operation, simple and inexpensive to construct, and ruggedand long wearing in service.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent lfI'OIIl a consideration of the followng detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings whereinan embodiment of the invention is shown by way of illustration and notby way of limitation.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a material handling carriageincorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the invention with the hold down clamps in araised position;

FIG. 4 is a side view with the hold down clamps in a lowered positionand the chain members in a relaxed position;

FIG. 5 is a side view showing the chain members tightened against aload;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partially in section, taken onthe line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view, partially in section, taken on the line 77of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view, partially in section, taken on the line8-8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 10 is a view taken on the line 10-10 of FIG. 9; and

FIG. ll is an enlarged fragmentary view, partially in section, taken onthe line 11-11 of FIG. 3.

Briefly speaking, according to the principles of the invention, Iprovide a material handling carriage of the type adapted for handlingand sorting logs, poles and the like. The carriage includes a framehaving a pair of forwardly extending lift arms or forks and a pair ofhold down clamps which are pivotally mounted on the frame over theforks. In order to improve the versatility of this carriage to permithandling of small and irregular shaped loads, I have equipped it wit-h apair of load engaging chain members each of which is suspended betweenthe end of one of the hold down clamps and the frame. Each chain isadjustably mounted so that its suspended length can be varied toaccommodate different loads. To effect tightening of the chains over aload placed on the lift arms I provide hydraulically actuated guidemembers which are mounted on the frame between the ends of each chainand in surrounding sliding engagement therewith. The guide members movein directions towards and away from the lift arms so that the chains aretightened over a load when the guide members move towards the lift armsand loosened when the guide members move away from the lift arms. Theends of the chains are pivotally supported.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention is shown in FIGURE 1 aspart of a material handling carriage 10 of the type used for handlingand sorting logs and poles. Carriage 10 includes a rear frame 12 adaptedfor attachment to the boom of a mobile loader. Frame 12 includes sideplates 14, 15 welded to vertical tubular members 16, 17 which areconnected by laterally extending structural members 18. A pair offorwardly extending lift arms 20, 22 are mounted on frame 12 inlaterally spaced relation to each other and adjacent side plates 14, 15.The tubular members 16, 17 extend above structural members 18. Pivotallysecure to tubular members 16, 17 are hold down clamps 24, 26 which areconnected at their rear to brackets 28, 30 attached to members 16, 17.Hold down clamps 24, 26 each include a straight section 27 extendingfrom brackets 28, 30, and a downwardly and forwardly curved end section29. Hydraulic power cylinders 32, 34 pivotally connected at their rearends to brackets 36, 38 on members 16, 17 above side plates 14, 15 andat their forward ends, as at 35, to the straight sections 27 of holddown clamps 24, 26 actuate the clamps for movement about their pivotaxes from a raised position to a lower load clamping position.

The foregoing describes a conventional carriage for loaders; myinvention concerns means for holding a load on the lift arms whichbecause of its size or shape could not be properly held by the clampsalone. To this end I provide a pair of load engaging chains 40, 42 whichare secured at one end to the forward section 29 of clamps 24, 26 and atthe other end to structure rearwardly of frame 12. A pin 44 removablymounted in one of three holes 46 in section 29 of clamps 24, 26pivotally anchors the forward ends of chains 40, 42. The rear ends ofchains 40, 42 are each held in a mounting plate 50 which is swingablymounted on a bracket member 52 extending rearwardly from members 16, 17slightly below brackets 28, 30. Each mounting plate 50 is connected toits bracket member 52 by a pin 54 which extends laterally through bothparts 50, 52 to permit plate 50 to swing in an are about the axis of pin54. Below pin 54 plate 50 is provided with a hole 56 of larger radialextent than the thickness of chains 40, 42. Hole 56 communicates at itslower end with an elongated chain link notch 58. This constructionallows the length of chain that is suspended between pin 44 and plate 50to be adjusted according to the load. To do this the chain is runthrough the hole 56 until a particular length is reached, then the link57 corresponding to this length is placed in notch 58 and held againstendwise movement by the adjacent links 59 which abut on each side ofplate 50 adjacent notch 58 when the towards and away from the lift arms20, 22. The mounting means for each guide members 60 consists of anelongated bed 62 which extends generally upwardly on side plates 14, 15from a position substantially adjacent the heel of lift arms 20, 22, asat 64. Each bed 62 includes a slotted way 66 which extends throughoutits length. Guide members 60 each include a box-like body having sides61, 63 which are connected at their top and bottom by semicircular chainengaging members 65 and 67. Side 63 is provided with an external rib 71which slidably reciprocates in way 66 of bed 62. Members 65 and 67 aremounted between sides 61, 63 of each guide member 60 with their convexsurfaces 68 facing each other to form bearing surfaces for the chains40, 42 which extend through the throat 69 in each guide member 60. Theupper chain engaging member 65 of each guide member 60 is connected tothe end of a piston rod 70 of hydraulic power cylinders 72 which arepivotally connected at their upper ends to brackets 36, 38 of frame 12,as at 73.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2-4 and 10, when a load of logs or poles areplaced on the lift arms 20, 22 and held by the clamps 24, 26, chains 40,42 can be moved by the guide members 60 from a loosely suspendedposition above the load into a tightening position firmly biased againstthe load. Because the slack removed from the chains is taken up adjacentthe rear of the lift arms virtually the entire chain length can bebrought to bear against the load. The flexible nature of the chains 40,42 permits them to conform to the shape of the load; considerablepressure may be exerted by the cylinders 72 to hold the logs or poles inplace even though there may be space between the clamps and the load.Cylinders 72 are in a hydraulic circuit and under the control of anysuitable operator controlled valve mechanism (not shown) which in knownmanner permits introduction of pressure fluid to one of the ends of eachcylinder while exhausting from the other and which permits retention offluid in both ends of the cylinders to hold their pistons 70 in anydesired set position. Thus, through the action of cylinders 72, thechains 40, 42 may be moved in directions towards or away from the liftarms 20, 22 whereby to either release a load or exert tighteningpressure thereagainst.

It is evident that changes within the skill of those versed in the artmay be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. In manyinstances features may be added; in other, features may be omitted. Itis clear that modifications of the invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art and where the same or similar results may beachieved by the use of equivalents, substitution of the equivalent maybe made without departing from the inventive concept.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by summarization in theappended claims, all features of patentable novelty residing in theinvention.

I claim:

1. In a material handling carriage including a frame, forwardlyextending lift arm means carried by said frame, forwardly and downwardlyextending hold down clamping means pivotally mounted on said frame abovesaid lift arm means, the combination of:

flexible elongated tension member means one end of which is secured tothe forward end of said hold down clamping means and the other end ofwhich is secured to said frame,

guide means slidably surrounding said tension member means intermediatethe ends thereof between its points of attachment to the .hold downclamping means and frame and mounted on said frame for movements indirections towards and away from said lift arm means, and

power means mounted on said frame and operable for moving said guidemeans towards said lift arm means to tighten said tension member meansover a load carried by said lift arm means and said hold down clampingmeans.

2. The combination described in claim 1 wherein means are provided forchanging the length of said tension member means.

3. The combination described in claim 1 wherein said hold down clampingmeans is provided with means for adjusting the mounting position of saidtension member suspended thereon.

4. The combination described in claim 1 wherein said tension member ispivotally supported at each end.

5. In a material handling carriage including a frame, a pair offorwardly extending lift arms carried by said frame, a pair of forwardlyand downwardly extending hold down clamps pivotally mounted on saidframe above said lift arms for load clamping coaction therewith, thecombination of:

a chain member, one end of which is secured to the front end of eachhold down clamp and the other end of which is secured to said frame ingenerally overlying relationship to said lift arms,

a hollow tubular guide member slidably surrounding each of said chainmembers intermediate its ends between its points of attachment to thehold down clamp and frame,

each said hollow guide members being mounted on said frame for movementsin directions towards and away from said lift arms,

said guide and chain members coacting so as to effect the tightening ofsaid chain members over a load held between said lift arms and said holddown clamps when said guide members are moved towards said lift arms,and

power means mounted on said frame and operable to move said guidemembers towards and away from said lift arms.

6. The combination described in claim 5 wherein means are provided foradjusting the length of said suspended chain members.

7. The combination described in claim 5 wherein said hold down clampsare provided with means for adjusting the mounting position of saidchain members suspended thereon.

8. The combination described in claim 5 wherein said chain members areeach pivotally supported at their ends.

9. In a material handling carriage including a frame, forwardlyextending lift arm means carried by said frame, forwardly and downwardlyextending hold down clamping means pivotally mounted on said frame abovesaid lift arm means, the combination of:

flexible elongated tension member means suspended between the forwardend of said hold down clamping means and said frame,

guide means slidably surrounding said tension member means intermediatethe ends thereof and mounted on said frame for movements in directionstowards and away from said lift arm means,

said guide means including bed means mounted on said frame and extendingupwardly from said lift arm means, and hollow guide member meansslidably mounted for reciprocal movement in said bed means,

said guide means when moved towards said lift arm means being adapted totighten said tension member means over a load carried by said lift armmeans and said hold down clamping means, and

power means operable to move said guide means in directions towards andaway from said lift arm means.

10. The combination described in claim 9 wherein said 3,409,157 a 5 6power means includes power cylinder means connected FOREIGN PATENTSbetween said hollow guide member means and said frame. 785,402 10/1957Great Britain References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 R. B. JOHNSON,Assistant Examiner. 3,120,898 2/1964 Eaves 214-654 HUGO O. SCHULZ,Primary Examiner.

